A little bruised from a review in NME's 'Demo Hell' (it's alright, I've been there too and survived it!), Trog and his 'Demo Ted,' I think, are feeling a little better.
The mysterious songwriter Trog wryly admits himself, 'It's not the best of recordings, but there you go. I got an album, 'On The Bog,' also out - 12 songs - �10. It's a shit, but I ended up being happier with this demo than the album!'
But this is cool. There IS something of a beat poet about Trog, the sublime folk attitude of 'Jonathan Livingstone Seagull' wistfully swaying as a pretty damn beautiful ballad. Whatever's finger-picked cleverness is, as with all tracks, chaperoned by a lone acoustic guitar and the gruff voice of Trog, croaking with Nottingham soul. This isn't quite like 'Whatever' by Oasis, yet his choruses are kinda catchy.
Tom Waits-stylized broodiness ultimately gets a look-in on 'My Favourite Hill: the dark, vibrant guitar sound matched with a ream of punkily spat vox trying to twist your mind to think of post-folk-punk one-mad-man-show Wreckless Eric, or even Hamell on Trial without the intensity.
But such comparisons don't even come close� as Trog is his own man. I guess. (STEVE RUDD)
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18 HARTSIDE GARDENS, LONG EATON, NOTTINGHAM, NG10 4PD.